The Passenger

[rich]

Howdy

Finished the Passenger. I think it's a great novel, with one brief
maths/physics conversation that I just skimmed. McCarthy's trademark
intense descriptions of nature, man's work, machines, death, god, insanity,
it's all there. I would argue the best part of the book is the orbit of
strange, loquacious, deranged and degenerates circling around Bobby Western
in New Orleans and Knoxville.

My one quibble is the character of Western's sister, Alicia is a misfire.
It's hard to get a sense of someone who is described as basically a genius.
The weak bits of the book are her conversations with the Kid and other
denizens of her crazed schizo mind. They come across as bland and
repetitive to me. I'm not so sure I'm all that interested in reading Stella
Maris.

In any case, The Passenger is, though dire and woeful, is also very funny.
And I agree with Eric, the last section of the book is very moving. I just
wish the sister was more interesting and not this mythical gossamer Medea
Ophelia, untouchable, unknowable, etc.

Still, a fine way to end a career

rich